The Orchid Album, Volume 3: Comprising Coloured Figures and Descriptions of New, Rare, and Beautiful Orchidaceous PlantsMoore, Thomas
Science
The Orchid Album, Volume 3: Comprising Coloured Figures and Descriptions of New, Rare, and Beautiful Orchidaceous Plants
Moore, Thomas
Orchids; Orchids -- Pictorial works
This new species, which was imported last year, has now bloomed in many
collections, and has proved to be one of the most beautiful and chaste
amongst white-flowered Orchids—one that every Orchidophilist will
admire, since it has so many good qualities to recommend it, being
free-blooming, of a pure white, and lasting long in flower; moreover,
each flower can be cut separately for button-hole or bouquet use, and
the plant is also very effective for decorative and exhibition purposes
during the summer months. Thus, by having a goodly number of plants, it
may be brought in for several successive months; and the stronger the
plant is grown the finer will be its flowers. The individual plants vary
somewhat, which may be caused partly by some specimens being weakly, and
in that case they will improve as they gain strength. It appears to be a
very free grower, but time must prove that, and also if the plants are
of long duration or not. Many of our Dendrobes last but a few years, and
then require to be re-imported. Our sketch is from a well-grown plant in
the grand collection of Sir Trevor Lawrence, Bart., M.P., where we saw
several other examples in bloom, some of them being very strong, and
bearing as many as thirty flowers on a single stem.
_Dendrobium Dearei_, named in compliment to Colonel Deare, by whom it
was first brought forward, is partly deciduous, losing the older leaves
after it has bloomed; this is its aspect at present, but when we get it
into a good growing state its foliage may perhaps stand for a longer
time. It produces its flowers in spikes from the top of the stem, and
also from the side towards their upper end, many together on the spike;
they are pure white, with a little delicate green blotch and veins in
the hollowed-out throat. The blooming season occurs during the summer
months, and the individual flowers last for several weeks in beauty.
This species will do either in baskets or pots, filled with rough
fibrous peat, sphagnum moss, and good drainage, to which a few small
lumps of charcoal may be added. It will also thrive on blocks, with live
sphagnum moss about the roots; but cultivated in this manner the plants
require a more abundant supply of moisture during the growing season. It
is a plant that likes to be grown near the light, and the East India
house seems to suit it well. Both those in pots and those in baskets
require to be kept moist at the roots during their period of growth;
and, like other species of Dendrobe, this enjoys a good season of rest
to cause it to flower more freely. The plants must be kept free from
insects, and can be propagated by dividing the clusters of stems,
leaving two or three to each division. After they are separated they
should be put into a shady place until they begin to grow, when they may
be allowed more light.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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